Rotary multicylinder engine.



R. CWLES. ROTARY mumcvuunen infami.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20\` |916. V Y

i Patented N0v.'6,f 1917.

' 10 mvENTR,

` Wil'fxNEssEs: Y

lAPPLICATION FILED MAY 20,196.

R. COWLES. ROTRY MULTICYUNDER ENGINE.

Patented NGV.' (i, -l E )fl 7.

4 SHEETSNSHEET 2.

mvmm TOR Armatura 1 R. cowLEs.

ROTARY yMUIHCYLINDER ENGINE.

APPLICATIQN FILED MAY 20. 1916.

TOR

Cfbwles.

Patented Nov." G; 1917.

4 SHEETSWSHEET 3* 7] 9 l'g. I J0 EQ' Arroxnmv s R. Cow/LES. HUTAHY MULTlCYLINDER ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 20. 1916.

1,245,443. Patented Nov. 6, um. V 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4| I y? Illa?- l..

Aswan lef l on the same line as the centrifugal action of the revolvingparts, permitting loose orworn connecting rod pin bushingsto operate Iwithout noise on 'vibration.

The engine constructed as here shown, is particularly ada ted for aviation purposes ,as the comparatively high revolving speed of the cylinders and fly-wheel rovides ideal conditions for air cooling. ltach lcylinder is therefore ribbed as shownand the central hub is similarly cored out and ribbed wherever air t AWheel is channel shaped in cross sectionI and erated is exerted is-supported with relation to the bear y27 -and 28 by means of a pluralit -of riirdgllly disposed tubular spokes 3l. -he-ly-Wheel proper is concentrica'llypositioned with re'- ation. to the crank shaft.. 8, While the cylinders and connected hub 4 are eccentricall positioned. This construction ermits eac Individual piston member to e connected' -.with the rim 'of the fly-wheel as indicated ait 32, and urthermore, permits each individualfcylinder to be connected with the iiyw-heel rim' by. means of an'extensi'on 33 and a crank arm Each extension 33 and crankt, serves thefunetion of a masterconn'ecting rod, vthatis, it' permits freedom .of movement between the cylinders and ily- Wheel but Will, at thesametime, maintain a fixed relation, between same during each revolution. The, present illustration of the engine shows a valve movement whichA permits a. four-cycle principle of operation. This can be understood when is taken into "considertion that the valvev proper' 'will `rotate three revolutions while the connected cylin- Vders revolve two. Thev exhaust and inlet passagesformed in the valve will thus pass each cylinder porti 1.5, 16 and 17. once dur* 30 ing ever `two revolutions of the cylinders L and wii therefore permit the four-'cycle functionto take place with relation to each cylinder,4 that is, the inlet port will be in register with port 15 while the coperating piston is traveling outwardly.' The piston will then move in und compress the charge. A lpark pluggenjerzlliy indicated at 40, cars rie by the val-ve, Will'ncxt move into com` Iminication with port l and fire the charge.- The piston will then travel outwardly and the valve will in thc meantime have rotated to position where the exhaust passage moves linto I {cgster'topermit the piston to again travel.. in-niardl y and scavengc the vbn'rnt charge. .The 'gas son vengac'dby the :inward movey ment `of thc-,piston 'passes through the radial 5 iinjlithcl'i oi it -thron'gl1 Athe'c'onnef '.ted st foi-tand the alindports-l und 19 lis' described, directv to the 'atmose .vi/ ilflfbcfiioticed 'b that thefforce .ed to drive thc pi "tifLQimd not to "isfi'isuaily the case rough and around sama' Therotar valve proper is furthermore aplurality of longitudinally isposed paralle passages-42 to'permit cooling .of same. One end of each of these 'assages communicateswith a hollow cham er 43, formed in the bearing cap 44, while the opposite end of each passage communicates with a port 45 opening through the hub proper and as the bearin cap is provided with a plu-- rality of radially disposed ports 46, it can easily be seen that' centrifugal action'will cause a comparatively free circulation 'of air through the passa valve cool. The valve by the incoming gases radial ports 22 in .the crank pin andthe communicating inlet port; the accunillated wind pressure in fli ht on air craft Willjfalso canse vigorous circulation of cold' rair lthrough-'the 'valve passages. by annularribs formed 'on'. the valve-Sleeve'. Onefbf the passages, preferiiby'tliefccn-- tral one', is provided for the reception of the ark vvplug 40. This plug isf-'connected ihlrough" a wire 50 with a brushfand ,commutator ring, generally ,indicatedgat .51. This isili turn connected .-wth any suitable 'form of electric source of, supply and timing .mechanismnoi; .here-"shown, A spark Y lug ve 'of the charac'tcrflicro her important lfeature 'of resent inventionns it provides a more 'i nition tlinn' could votherwise rovidedv wit is furthermore cooled passingthrough the werds, "a liet the" port 'op y' refcrringgto Figs. '2

of jcach'. explosion stons in anfmitwnrd drive them Vin wg'trill v across exe a uniform' nomen-L 1t ossible, to permit a freecirculation of v ges thus keeping the Further cooling is' obtained 5- each cylinder however, prevents the oil from il shownV and nconjvnlve, it` is' obvious that Iany suitable number of get out f'orderaf the only movin pgts a needed' onneetionwith same wo y l .4 vibrator or some similar mechanism.,

*i 'ile av three cylinder-'engine is here linders may be by.' cam'sleeve may be used, if desired.

Another'important feature of' the 'present nventin'ilsthe.simplicity of the lnbrlcating system. A. pipe 60 connected with a suitable eloyed and that puppeyvalves operated '-sourceof supply enters the hollow shaft end P andfdelivers oil .to the revolving anti-friction'bearing 27.` The oil then passes out throuh'one ,or more of -the hollowl spokes 181, iich connect with the connectlng rod pi "indicated at 61. These pins are hollow andthe connecting rods are similarly hollojved-out as indicated at G2, to permit the joil`to` be forced linwardly to the piston Wrist pins 63; 'The oilthen passes out through said pinsto the 4cylinders and is naturally vforced in an outward direction by the centriffeo hier 1 ugal ,forceproduced by the high revolving speed. cap 64: placed in the outer endof freely discharging and therefore servesas a trap or collectory which permits the oil to be returned'to either bearing 80 or Slbthrough pipes'SUil and 8l". 4 The inner end of each cap 64 projects partway into the cylinders and 'cooperates withV the end of the piston to form a ump whichfhas sufficient pressure behindp it to force-the oil back tthe bearings', against the centrifugal action produced. Another pipe. 65 entering through either crank shaft and crank pin lubricates the yconical 'valve face and the surplus is coliected by channels and distributed to the radially disposed pipes generally indicated at 70,`see'yl"igs. l1 and`2. The fouter ends of these ,pipes` 'enter the cylinders. at right angles toi' the piston` wrist pins. and there- V`bricates the pistons/onlibe sides oppohe wrist pin ends. A four-point lntion in connection withsreach cylinder and piston is thus provided. All-lubricating I oil admitted Vwill discharge outwardly, due

to centrifugal action and it will therefore be impossible for oil to enter the ports ,15, 16

and 17 and foul the spark plug carried by Having-thus described my invention, what.

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat- .ent isil. In a rotary multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, a stationary. crank shaft, 'a 'lyfwheel journaled on the shaft, a hub member. journaled on the crank pin of the shaft, a plurality of radially disposed cylinders secured to the hub member, said hub member being provided with radiall disposed ports communicating with eaci cylmder, a crank connection between each cylinder .andthe fly-wheel, a connecting rod connecting each cylinder piston with theiiywheel, arotary valve having an exhaust and inletport formed therein interposed between the crank pin and the ported hub, a gear secured on theliub, a second gear secured on the valve, a pair of intermediate gears interposedbetween said first and last named gears, adapted to maintain a. speed ratio of one and one-half revolutions of the valve to one revolution of the hub, and means for admitting an explosive 'mixture to 'theinlet port of the valve.

2. In a rotary multi-cylinder internal combustion engine,a stationary crank shaft, a `iy-vvheel journaled on 'the shaft, a hub member journaled on the cranlrpin of the Shaft, a plurality of radially disposed. cylinders secured 'to the hub member, said hub member beingprovided with radially disposed ports communicating with each` cylinder, a-cr'ank connection Kbetween each cylinder and the rfly-wheel, a connecting rod connecting each cylinder piston with the Hylwheel, a rotary valve having an exhaust and inlet' port formed therein interposed betweenthe crank 4pin and the ported hub, a gear secured on the hub, a second gear secured on the valve, a pair of intermeiliate gears interposed between saidfirst and last named gears, adapted to maintain a s eed ratio of one and one-half revolutions o the means for' admitting` an explosive .mixture to the inlet port of the valve and a spark plug carried by the valve adapted to erotate 'with Athe valve. l p

3.- In a rotary multi-cylinder engine7 .a shaft, a hub member journaled thereonand providedV with a 'plurality of radial -,ports opening through its periphery and an exhaust port also ,extending radially on "opposite sides` of each first port but openin throughthe adjacent end face of the hu member, a radially disposed cylinder mount-- ed on the hub member over each first ort thereof, pistons operable in the cylin ers, and a valve interposed between theshaft and hub member having a lon `tudinally ar-l ranged f exhaust .portl adapte for communicating at its ends with the exhaust ports of the hub member and intermediate lts ends with the first ports.

e. In a. rotary engine, a shaft', .an nii- 13o.

jncketed valve thereon hflving its jacket opened to the ntmosphefent both end, and ax ported-cylinder revoluble abolitthe l'lltft and vulve'.

In a rotary engine, n stationry i'tnlshaft, a fly wheel journnled on the Shf, d hub member journnled on the crank pin of wheel, u crankeonnection between the latterv und the cylinder, :I rotery valve about which 30 thehub member revolves", Seid'volve'hnvingders, pistons 'in the cylinders connected for importing rotary movement thereto," a rotary l phere, und uspfarker arranged passage" -f the sl1uj}ft, n cylinder extending outwardly therefron'l, Suid hub member being provided with :l port leull'inginto. the cylinder and n. second port lendin'gto the atmosphere, fi

piston in the cylindereonuected to llieil wheel, n crunk connection between the latterand the cylnder,. aud a rotary 'valve uboot which the hub member' revolves, said valve having an inlet port adapted for communication withv thefrst port .of the hub i'uembe'rvand4 un outlet portndnptod to con'- ueet the two hub rnemberports.

6. In a, 1"ofnry originen stationary crank shaft, n'lydvhce'l )ournulod on the shaft, it hub member jonrnnled ou the crank piu of thenhuft `u 'eylndr'extending outwardly therefrom, Suid hnb'memher boing provided with a port lending into the c yliuder'nnd n second port leading to the atmosphere, :1

piston in theeylinder connected to the ,lly-` wth therst port of the hub member and by thevalve or der through the 7. Ino rotary multi-cylinder engife, a crank sheflne blib 'm'ember i"ournuleclt'x'efre` on, a plfurl'lty of radially disposed cylinders fixed on the hub member, the latter hl'm'vng rudinl ports communicating with the vlnvalve 'interposedv l )e tw1een the member yand provided 'with' on :m1

hnvingf gpiml passage; opened, to; the Jotmosi' df s eine hery` S- Hft a. 6r about, un oninterair jacked formed with spirgl passages. and opened to the atmosphere at both ends.

In n Vrotary engine, n' lhollowported' shaft, a no1-ted lcylinder revolublethereobout, on an interposed valve havingon Mr jaeket formed wlth spiral. ossagee..

10.- Vln il. rotary multiecylin erfenr -'ne, a crunk shaft, a hub member jourrmlthereon, o pluralit?,y of radially disposed cylinders f mb member, the latter lia-'vingfixed on' the radinl'ports eofnfnn'ieting with thel o linl. (loro, pistons ih the cylinders conne@ or imparting rotary' 'lov'r'nent. thereby), a, I'otffw vulve interposedvbetween the' Shaft'nd member and provided with sin. air. j-axlglnfstv 'usa'ges opened Ito the ,irt'n'l'oehaving .Spiral phere, a Spu er arranged in one of' the und opening through the spiral passages Y peripheryo th'ovalve 'fo r.eommnn1eet1ng with the'cylinders through the hub ports,

n 'oommutator ring on the .crank shaft 'connected to ,n source of electgul energy, und :x brush wiping the ring undeonneetd to 'the sprker.

Shaft', a, sleeve surrounding the 'ported shaft :rnd lmvingonnular passages lend-lng .to a

'loA

peripheral port, arvalve receiving the Sleeve and provided with n fthe .sleeve port,- nlnltbcylin 'er .means tntnble about the valve, u drivin connection between. the menus and 'the vve for` ro- '.tutng thelatter, end -pistonmeans operable in the. cylinders.

1 2. -In. fr rotary multi-cylinder engine,

lmft, l, ln1b-rnember journaled thereon and 'provided with 1 1' pl'nril'ity-of radial porte Lopenirg tlro'udh'lts periphery, a eylmder disposed `1]' lidial-y onthefnub member' over -euh port, .pistons operable in cylinders, and :1. vulve Q'nterposed: between the shaft and hub mener and provided with 'u port for oojhlhuniegting with thehnb ort, seidvalve ing "forred'lpngtl in'a'llyjof. the

ntniogpl-lele. f r "In testimony whereof I have hereunto 4 linhd in the presenee twosubecrib'- ort re istering with vulve and .opening nl; both endlsint'o the vim) I 

